Looking for the best PRACTICAL suspension set up for a c1500 work truck

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Brothajack93

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Well I have all the information I need to make my best decision with what I have. I appreciate all the helpful information and suggestions. I do eventually plan to get a heavier chassis unit to suit my work needs better but that’s something that in the current moment is out of the budget so for now I’m going to beef this one up a little to do for now so I can put it to work and make extra cash and hopefully get to the point where I’m working for myself. To anyone who felt the need to comment for no other reason to be rude and tell me I’m wrong and I should buy what I can’t currently afford just know you get what you give so if you act like a **** you’ll get treated like one. Pretty sad to see that there are middle aged men that act like that. I don’t know everything about working on vehicles or much at all. That’s why I joined forums and groups and have been watching videos non stop. Just cause something isn’t practical to you doesn’t mean it’s not exactly what I need and exactly what I was asking for. And at the end of the day I’m saving an obs body so appreciate that and keep your opinions to yourself. But just like every community there’s always gotta be a few toxic ones. Thankfully the good out weighs the bad in here and most people just want to help a guy understand exactly what he’s doing and it’s people like that I appreciate. May not be the best option but it’s the option I have and the parts will suit a better truck well in the future when a better truck is afforded so it’s the option I’m going with. I have a line on a truck right now with everything I need. I was honestly just going to take the truck as all it needed was an engine but the distance would just be too expensive to haul even with a free truck and trailer from my job so I’m hoping to Just get the parts I need and save some fuel and money invested in the build. I will update on the gear ratio as I’m currently waiting to hear back on that bit but the good news is the owner seems to be tired of the truck sitting around his yard and willing to part out and scrap to make what he can and give up on the “I’ll get around to it” lie we all tell ourselves lol. Wish me luck guys and thanks for your help!
 

Brothajack93

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boys, boys, I more than anyone here loves to whip out the 8foot level and the SAE only 10th scale tape measure and anecdote of using "trucks for their intended purpose"!

But we shouldnt fight eachother, or well you two fight eachother, but instead we can respect that some people are wrong in how they use their truck and also not feel the need to be an uptight ******* about it.

See what I did there? I both invalidated the victim and talked down to the agressor, thats exactly how public school taught me to handle lifes problems and by god if its not working right now!!!


[joking aside. there is a truth in what I say.

I dont like trucks like syndicate has. but ive never once been mean/rude to him or sat there and dished it out for the sake of ego-stroking because I am not him and I dont own anything like his truck for that reason that I dont like that

Just, one doesnt need to be a genius to understand that there are different strokes for different folks and you have to also hate it when people try and tell you your interests are wrong/suck, so why do that to anyone else?

now, we dont have to like this but you also can get trounced, nerd, if you wanna piss and moan about it


===========================================================================================
Now, since I think I made a good point, I will now take the opportunity to share the good news. Ever hear of the god's gift to humanity known as the Inline 6?

You must be registered for see images attach

Ya know, My f150 albeit is a ford but it does have an inline 6, and neither of yall had one. and thats the extent of my personality, so you must be quite jealous right now.

Six in a row ready to tow

Eight in a V your old lady is coming home with me
Amidst all the drama I overlooked this beautiful piece of comic relief that you wrote so well. You ma’am, are hands down the winner of this debate by far. As much as I can safely say a clean 1 ton and conditions like in the south for it to live in definitely have a jealousy factor for me that’s not the issue that caused me to react so inappropriately on my part. People who feel the need to go to a post and make a basic, obvious backhanded statement that doesn’t at all help the questions asked in the post are my problem. I’m here to learn more about something I love and have loved my whole life. I could easily sign my life away and finance something far more capable than a 25 year old half ton sure. But not only do I not feel secure enough to risk a repo on my credit score should my life go wrong which it has a few times in the past and often out of my control (former oilfield guy) but it’s about my love for the very topic of this entire forum site as well. It’s a willingness and desire to learn new skills that were never taught to me via personal interaction which is how I tend to learn best so I’m now at almost 30 toughing it out despite my adhd brain and learning what I wanted to a long time ago by any means. I’m learning to do both what I need to so I can restore the truck to its former glory and a safe, roadworthy condition. I’m literally about to pick up welding with 0 experience and mig weld sheet metal. Thankfully I’m good with fine tuned hand skills cause that could get expensive in warped pre fab replacement parts. And I’m also learning about ways to build these trucks for different purposes and inquiring about my current needs. Believe it or not I’ve even looked into what it takes to build trucks like this guys cause hey , knowledge is knowledge right? Still not my cup of tea. I’m a built not bought kinda guy though. Sure if I wanted a super car I would trust what I bought from Ferrari but we all know there isn’t a single truck out there that works for everyone’s needs or interests. I’m a hot head for sure and I’ll never deny that. Just ask any of my co workers who have stood in my way of getting a job done or my boss who has to deal with them whining about me. Some of them have even tried to fight me cause that’s the kind of professional work ethics we get where I work. Did I get a little too offended and double down on the rude right out of the gate? 100%. But I don’t take kindly to trolls commenting some generic crap straight out of a d.o.t handbook in the most intentional back handed way. The fact that the guy claims to be middle aged and wastes his time with crap that is to be expected of idiots of my generation and the ones that follow truly makes it more sad and pathetic. What I saw was a guy commenting nothing useful to be an ass on a question about a work truck, sporting a pic that anyone would consider a pavement prowler or mall crawler by appearance. Whether he proves it works or not is beside the point. Congratulations, you achieved your goal by setting me off and proving your “elite status” in the obs community. Here’s your gold star, you’re toxic, move on. That said though I also love obs fords. Chevys are just sentimental for me and far more accessible up here for us snow birds. I also saw your post about your dads truck and found it very helpful so thank you for that. Your dad seems like my kinda redneck though I must agree that there is a point when a guy needs to stop putting heavy crap on his daughters truck lol. I’m not trying to go that far that kinda weight at all and especially not in as full time load as that. A headache rack with landscape tool racking/back bar combo for ladder, screed boards/rails and such and the current debate of whether to even bother with a toolbox or to save the space in the bed for possibly hauling away scraps from jobs or heading to the quarry or landscape depot for that yard to yard and a half of aggregates needed for a job are my intentions. That’s what I’m looking for the upgraded suspension for. It’s a little overweight but it’s not freaking dangerous overkill like some people like to think. I’m also not the dumb kid with his first truck who allowed his cousin to to dump bob cat buckets of clear stone from his work till the bed was full to the top before they realized that was a horrible idea and had to shovel a bunch out while still leaving the load way to heavy and then driving the truck home 40 minutes on rural Alberta roads. If anyone was the real dummy in that scenario it was the guy who professionally ran pay loader and has over a decade in age and experience on the dumb kid. A guy who loads tandem and tri axles all day to pass scales should know better but I learned my lesson. My point was the truck handled it with grace even with the damage it caused and that if I beefed it up and it treated it nicer than that I would not run into those problems therefore, a half ton would suit me just fine for the time being besides the obvious problem of the underpowered engine. I also do some part time roofing and am being begged and offered more and more every day to go back full time so that job would be super gentle on my expense considering the tools don’t weigh much and the heavy crap is boomed right onto the roof where you’re working. But you know some people have to take what you say out of context and act like children about making a point. I already have a foreman who’s a middle aged teenager. I don’t need that crap anywhere else lol. I do very much so appreciate your example and advice though
 

Brothajack93

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Y'all have rougher roads and way more need for heavy duty stuff, and I imagine lots more 4x4s.....
As previously stated the problem isn’t availability… though still a factor considering I live in the California/New York hybrid state/province of my country. They forced as many old vehicles as they could off the road with outrageously strict safety inspection points that would make even he most reasonable of people shake their heads and a “temporary” emissions testing policy that lasted for decades. I can’t stress enough how liberal politics killed these trucks here. Though 4X4 is very common here it still comes at a premium in a time where every thing that is a truck is overpriced. For $2000 my options were a rust bucket that I have sentimental love for and runs like a top but needs more than a little tlc body wise or a 2009 f-150 that had its interior destroyed by painters, an obvious misfire, the absolute worst exhaust leak that somehow is louder and more obnoxious than a Honda with a wish.com fart can and likely almost as much body work. It’s only desirable feature to me was the line x bed. I think I chose the better beater to give my love
 

AuroraGirl

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Amidst all the drama I overlooked this beautiful piece of comic relief that you wrote so well. You ma’am, are hands down the winner of this debate by far. As much as I can safely say a clean 1 ton and conditions like in the south for it to live in definitely have a jealousy factor for me that’s not the issue that caused me to react so inappropriately on my part. People who feel the need to go to a post and make a basic, obvious backhanded statement that doesn’t at all help the questions asked in the post are my problem. I’m here to learn more about something I love and have loved my whole life. I could easily sign my life away and finance something far more capable than a 25 year old half ton sure. But not only do I not feel secure enough to risk a repo on my credit score should my life go wrong which it has a few times in the past and often out of my control (former oilfield guy) but it’s about my love for the very topic of this entire forum site as well. It’s a willingness and desire to learn new skills that were never taught to me via personal interaction which is how I tend to learn best so I’m now at almost 30 toughing it out despite my adhd brain and learning what I wanted to a long time ago by any means. I’m learning to do both what I need to so I can restore the truck to its former glory and a safe, roadworthy condition. I’m literally about to pick up welding with 0 experience and mig weld sheet metal. Thankfully I’m good with fine tuned hand skills cause that could get expensive in warped pre fab replacement parts. And I’m also learning about ways to build these trucks for different purposes and inquiring about my current needs. Believe it or not I’ve even looked into what it takes to build trucks like this guys cause hey , knowledge is knowledge right? Still not my cup of tea. I’m a built not bought kinda guy though. Sure if I wanted a super car I would trust what I bought from Ferrari but we all know there isn’t a single truck out there that works for everyone’s needs or interests. I’m a hot head for sure and I’ll never deny that. Just ask any of my co workers who have stood in my way of getting a job done or my boss who has to deal with them whining about me. Some of them have even tried to fight me cause that’s the kind of professional work ethics we get where I work. Did I get a little too offended and double down on the rude right out of the gate? 100%. But I don’t take kindly to trolls commenting some generic crap straight out of a d.o.t handbook in the most intentional back handed way. The fact that the guy claims to be middle aged and wastes his time with crap that is to be expected of idiots of my generation and the ones that follow truly makes it more sad and pathetic. What I saw was a guy commenting nothing useful to be an ass on a question about a work truck, sporting a pic that anyone would consider a pavement prowler or mall crawler by appearance. Whether he proves it works or not is beside the point. Congratulations, you achieved your goal by setting me off and proving your “elite status” in the obs community. Here’s your gold star, you’re toxic, move on. That said though I also love obs fords. Chevys are just sentimental for me and far more accessible up here for us snow birds. I also saw your post about your dads truck and found it very helpful so thank you for that. Your dad seems like my kinda redneck though I must agree that there is a point when a guy needs to stop putting heavy crap on his daughters truck lol. I’m not trying to go that far that kinda weight at all and especially not in as full time load as that. A headache rack with landscape tool racking/back bar combo for ladder, screed boards/rails and such and the current debate of whether to even bother with a toolbox or to save the space in the bed for possibly hauling away scraps from jobs or heading to the quarry or landscape depot for that yard to yard and a half of aggregates needed for a job are my intentions. That’s what I’m looking for the upgraded suspension for. It’s a little overweight but it’s not freaking dangerous overkill like some people like to think. I’m also not the dumb kid with his first truck who allowed his cousin to to dump bob cat buckets of clear stone from his work till the bed was full to the top before they realized that was a horrible idea and had to shovel a bunch out while still leaving the load way to heavy and then driving the truck home 40 minutes on rural Alberta roads. If anyone was the real dummy in that scenario it was the guy who professionally ran pay loader and has over a decade in age and experience on the dumb kid. A guy who loads tandem and tri axles all day to pass scales should know better but I learned my lesson. My point was the truck handled it with grace even with the damage it caused and that if I beefed it up and it treated it nicer than that I would not run into those problems therefore, a half ton would suit me just fine for the time being besides the obvious problem of the underpowered engine. I also do some part time roofing and am being begged and offered more and more every day to go back full time so that job would be super gentle on my expense considering the tools don’t weigh much and the heavy crap is boomed right onto the roof where you’re working. But you know some people have to take what you say out of context and act like children about making a point. I already have a foreman who’s a middle aged teenager. I don’t need that crap anywhere else lol. I do very much so appreciate your example and advice though
well I didnt expect the positive reaction or the personal growth here where you have admitted you jumped the gun (if you say sorry and offer him a hug he will probably say so too! ignore if you already did I just saw this reply)
 

AuroraGirl

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As previously stated the problem isn’t availability… though still a factor considering I live in the California/New York hybrid state/province of my country. They forced as many old vehicles as they could off the road with outrageously strict safety inspection points that would make even he most reasonable of people shake their heads and a “temporary” emissions testing policy that lasted for decades. I can’t stress enough how liberal politics killed these trucks here. Though 4X4 is very common here it still comes at a premium in a time where every thing that is a truck is overpriced. For $2000 my options were a rust bucket that I have sentimental love for and runs like a top but needs more than a little tlc body wise or a 2009 f-150 that had its interior destroyed by painters, an obvious misfire, the absolute worst exhaust leak that somehow is louder and more obnoxious than a Honda with a wish.com fart can and likely almost as much body work. It’s only desirable feature to me was the line x bed. I think I chose the better beater to give my love
You will be much happier for the money cost for cost and not lowering your capacity because of drivetrain if you just get snow tires. all 4. Weight in the bed and attentive driving will make you unstopable, have traction boards, sand, chains, and tow strap, come along etc and you will be safer too

Can you stud tires up there? If so, studdable tires would be wise
 

AuroraGirl

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Nothing like coming on a public forum and asking for advice and going all keyboard warrior when it's given but you don't like it.
Settle down tough guy, you won't last long around here with that attitude.
I prefer to come onto the public forum and going keyboard warrior, If you deny your opponent the first strike you can overwhelm and conquer swiftly.

Its in sun tzu art of war im pretty sure
 
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